Anyone looking for musical inspiration, whether you’re a guy or a gal, could do well to look at some of the great girl groups in music history. They’re the ones who understand something about overcoming the odds, and making a difference even when everyone around them is saying that they can’t make it.

So, what can you learn from some of the great lady rockers about finding inspiration? Let’s take a look!

What Six Great Girl Groups Can Teach You About Musical Inspiration

–The Supremes: You can’t talk about great women bands without starting with The Supremes. They broke out of Motown to become one of the most popular acts in the world, and launched Diana Ross to superstardom.

And what does Diana Ross have to say about inspiration? “You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.”

–The Runaways: OK, so the Supremes showed that girl groups could make it in show biz… But The Runaways showed that they could rock. The brainchild of a very young Joan Jett and Producer Kim Fowley, they opened up hard rock to an entire gender.

As Joan Jett said, “You need people to fight for your records, at least a little bit. So if you have a great song, it’s catchy, and you’ve got a little bit of help, I think that’s all you need.”

–The Bangles: Alongside the Go-Go’s, who broke up early in the 80s, The Bangles would define the 80s girl-group pop sound and inspire later acts like Wilson Phillips by performing harmonic pop with surprising range and vocal skill.

According to singer Susanna Hoffs: “I basically taught myself how to sing and play by copying records… I know that’s true for a lot of budding musicians out there – that’s the thing that gets them inspired, is trying to learn their favorite songs.”

–The Spice Girls: Regardless of whether the name makes you cringe or secretly smile, the Spice Girls took the idea of Girl Pop and turned it into the biggest all-girl band in history. With 75 million albums sold, they rank among the world’s best-selling bands, period. There’s girl power for you.

Sporty Spice finds musical inspiration in contemplation: “I just feel, in life, I’m searching for something I can rely on, something that’s constant and something that’s going to guide me through. And I felt that the Northern Star is a very beautiful image of that.”

–Sleater-Kinney: Perhaps the dark shadow of the Spice Girls, Sleater-Kinney worked at the same time but to vastly different crowds. Sleater-Kinney introduced millions to riot grrrrls and, in the process, became a legend among indie bands who would inspire boys and girls for a decade.

Or, according to co-founder Carrie Brownstein, “I read a lot; fiction and non-fiction are the mediums I find most edifying and inspiring. I watch movies and listen to music and take lots and lots of walks. Nature is a nice reset button for me, it’s how I get a lot of thinking done.”

–Destiny’s Child: In the 2000s, the top girl group went back to its roots: R&B. Destiny’s Child was the 9^th most successful group of the decade, and launched the careers of everyone involved – especially international superstar Beyonce Knowles.

Knowles’ musical inspiration comes straight from her idol: “Diana Ross is a big inspiration to all of us. We all grew up watching everything about her – her mike placement, her grace, her style and her class.”